AUSTRALIA: Tourists at Great Barrier Reef anxious about the fate of stranded Chinese coal carrier

Record ID: 343360

  • Title: AUSTRALIA: Tourists at Great Barrier Reef anxious about the fate of stranded Chinese coal carrier
  • Date: 8th April 2010
  • Summary: GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND, AUSTRALIA (APRIL 7, 2010) (REUTERS) BEACHES CHILDREN KAYAKING IN WATER TOURISTS WALKING AT THE BEACH TOURISTS ON KAYAKS (SOUNDBITE) (English) GERMAN TOURIST SONYA DEURLOO SAYING: "I came to Australia to see Great barrier Reef, because we don't have anything like that in Germany, not at all, so if it gets like destroyed, sure we have other reasons
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Australia
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Travel / Tourism
  • Reuters ID: LVA7WO2H9DKSDW2MCLUVF48N2P1Z
  • Story Text: Tourists visiting Australia's Great Barrier Reef near where a Chinese coal carrier is stranded, express worry and anger about the prospects of an environmental disaster.
    Maritime safety authorities were expected to begin a delicate operation to offload almost 1000 tonnes of fuel oil from the tanks of a stranded Chinese ship in Great Barrier Reef, Australia, media reported on Wednesday (April 7).
    Shen Neng 1 which ran aground on Saturday (April 3) has reportedly been stabilized by the help of tug boats and the oil leak plugged.
    Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was outraged.
    "It's still for me, outrageous that this Chinese ship in broad daylight could be twelve kilometers off course in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Let's just call a spade a spade here. But there are a whole lot of other practical things to be worked through, one of which is how did this occur, who's responsible and through a proper investigatory process, what penalties should apply. Second thing is, thorough proper investigative process what changes needed to be made for the future for the wider Great Barrier Reef, including pilotage, including the way and which we actually monitor vessels through, what's called a vessel tracking system," Rudd said.
    Tourists on the beach near where the ship was grounded were worried about the consequences.
    "I came to Australia to see Great barrier Reef, because we don't have anything like that in Germany, not at all, so if it gets like destroyed, sure we have other reasons to come to Australia but the Great Barrier Reef is such a big point," said German tourist Sonya Deurloo.
    Other locals are upset about the situation.
    "I am feeling very angry about what's happened on the reef, I feel so strongly about it. I think it is criminal, I think they should be hung by their thumbs," said local tourist Linda Cains.
    Some locals living in the islands near the reef said this could affect their livelihoods if tourists no longer visit the world heritage marine park.
    The 230-metre (754ft) ship was carrying 65,000 tonnes of coal when it ran aground.
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